Add Nosferatu to the long line of indelible cinematic classics being remade in Hollywood. Thankfully, however, it seems Studio 8 has put some thought into the director of said remake: Robert Eggers.
Most are unfamiliar with Robert Eggers’ work for now, but in early 2015 Eggers took home the Best Director U.S. Drama prize at Sundance for his horror film, The Witch, which scared critics and audiences alike. That success has been parlayed into this remake, according to Deadline.
The Witch takes place in 1630s New England, and a child who goes missing into a dense forest surrounding her family’s home. The film received rave reviews from Sundance. Justin Change said in his Variety review: “Writer-director Robert Eggers makes an impressive feature debut with this gripping historical horror-thriller.”
And yet, a Nosferatu remake feels wholly unnecessary. F.W. Murneau’s 1922 silent film had a rather strange backstory, documented in Shadow of the Vampire, so the story behind the story has been laid out for everyone to witness. Not to mention it was remade in 1979. Not to mention… mention the fact that Nosferatu is basically Dracula in its purest form.
Perhaps Eggers is the right man for the job. You can see his work on The Witch when it hits theaters later this year.
